Paid in Full

We did it!!!

As most of you know, Bryson had a leg injury three years ago.  We were not on insurance at the time (long story short, our insurance coverage was to start on Oct 1st, and the accident happened on Sept 10th).  So, we have been making monthly payments to the individual doctors/hospitals, etc.  The largest amount owed was to the surgeon who operated on Bryson's leg.  We paid $1000 down and have been making monthly payments of $80 for the last three years.  Quite a chunk of change, especially as we have had some...uh...fun financial challenges.    . 

Well, we did it.  Yes, we finally did it.  I have mailed our last surgeon payment.  Huge sigh of relief. 

I asked Bryson if he wanted to make a note to the doctor who made his leg better and this is what he wrote on the back of the envelope:


We are so very very VERY grateful to Dr. Vincent and the excellent work he did on Bryson's leg.  He took his time and reconnected everything and he now he has no residual pain, and has regained full function of his leg.  We consider him a miracle worker.  It was worth every cent.  Thank you, Dr. Vincent.

My little pumpkins

With the changes to blogger, I just don't have the time right now to put all the pics in order, so here are my October pictures, in no particular order...at all.

We went to a pumpkin patch with some friends and had a blast.

After the pumpkin patch we were all hot and hungry, so we stopped at McDonalds for lunch and ice cream.  I wouldn't let them eat the ice cream in the car...any ideas why??

I guess mostly because I'm a mean mom.  

Even little Logan had a fun time.

I gave the boys a choice between each choosing their own small-ish pumpkin, or we could all get one big giant pumpkin.  Being boys, they wanted the big one.  Here's their first look inside.

Ewwwwwww....

The finished product.

Mom giving Loggie Bear some love.  He's such a fun little baby!

And look who found his feet. 

And look what we found in our front yard.  This thing is huge, probably a good four inches.  Elckk! 

Logan has started to use his saucer.  I love his little feet in this picture.  :)

For my mom's birthday, we had a little party over at our house for her.  It was fun.  After cake she read to her grandsons.  What a good grandma.

Logan in his camo.

Brothers!  This is Dallin and Logan while the older two are at school

More pumpkin patch pictures.  (See, I told you the order was off.)  The girl is Hannah and the other little boy is Jethro.  Cory and Bryson really liked Hannah, they kept fighting over who was her best friend. 

The little ones in the stroller.  Logan is in front, and Jonah is in back.

Picking the perfect pumpkin is serious business.

Hay bale maze.  What a good time.  The kids all got lots of exercise running back and forth in this thing.

Dallin pulling Hannah and Jonah in the wagon.

And last, but not least, our darling little elf.  :)

Yeah, I know, it's not even Halloween yet, but I was looking through baby clothes, and I found this, and he's almost grown out of it, so I wanted him to wear this cute little outfit at least once.  He's got the sweetest smile in the world.  I could stare at it all day. 

Back to my roots

So, we all know that pregnancy does some crazy things to us.  I mean, really whacked out things!  Well, besides making me swell to practically twice my size, and making me act like a loon off her meds, pregnancy also changes my hair color.  That's right.  It's done it every pregnancy.  My  hair comes in brown.  It's hard to tell while I'm pregnant because the change is so gradual, but after I give birth, I definatly have "roots".  The picture looks a little like it's a shadow, or my hair is wet or something, but no, this is the actual color. 

I'm never quite sure what to do with these roots.  I would love to dye them, especially because the light roots make me look like I'm balding, but I don't want to mess up my hair color, or have roots from that.  So, all four times I just deal with it until it grows out, and meanwhile try to wear my hair so it's not quite as obvious.  I guess this time will be no different.

Why Don't Moms Have Time?



Sorry about the small text of the article, maybe adjust your screen size to view it. 



Lately I've been trying to figure out where on Earth my day goes.  It seems like I can only successfully do one thing a day, whether it be grocery shopping, laundry (which has to be done twice a week), playgroup, visiting teaching, cleaning the house, etc. On a super-efficient day, I might be able to get two things done...maybe. I'll admit, it's a tad frustrating.  I often say to my hubby, "I don't mind doing what I'm doing, I just wish there was more of me to do it!"  This article helped me regain the perspective that is so easily lost when sleep-deprived.  It's good to have the reminder that these certainly aren't the only things I'm doing.  And yes, I know things will run more smoothly once our little one gets a little older.  And I also know that I will miss it.  :)  Ah, gotta love motherhood.  And I do.  I wouldn't have it any other way...except maybe a 30-hour day.  he he  :)

Little miracles everywhere!

After baths the other night, we were a little ahead of schedule for bedtime, so I pulled out my camera and snapped a few shots of my beautiful handful of boys.

Yes, they're a crazy group, but I can't help but love 'em!

Poor Logan.

After the pictures, Dallin wanted to hide from me, this little nut cracks me up all the time.

Just a second before this picture, all I could see were his little toes, then his head popped up just in time for the picture. 

Our dog. 

It's amazing watching the kids get older.  Bryson loves to read to Logan, and I think Logan enjoys it as well. 

The biggest thing going on in our lives right now is that John got a new job!  (HOORAY!!!)  He's needed a new job for a while.  He loved the company he was working for, but between a herniated disc, attending school full-time, and inconsistant hours and pay at his current job, it was time to move on.  We didn't even know what to apply for because we needed so many things out of the job.  We have a mortgage and bills that have to be paid, he needs to be able to go to school during the day and/or night depending on the semester, he needs to be able to rest his back as needed, plus the new employer would have to not care about his record. 

A brother in the ward owns a Dish Network/Direct TV franchise down here, and has hired John as a Sales Associate.  It meets all our criteria, we feel oh-so-blessed.  He can choose when/how he wants to work (i.e. door to door, tent, or mall)  He can sit or stand, depending on what is more comfortable for his back (which sounds like a small thing, but it really is a huge deal), and he can even do homework while working. 

He starts today!  What a miralce. 

Here are some shots of John at his old job.  I know he will miss working there.  He's given that company about eight years, but it's time to MOVE ON!!

I'm not sure who will miss this job more, John or Dallin!  :)

I am proud of John for enduring to the end with this job.  It wasn't easy with his back.  Especially because he's been trying to work without pain meds because he found they were affecting his clarity of thought for school.  Eeck, I can't even imagine digging ditches and lifting heavy pipes with a bad back.  Thanks John for hanging on!!

And poor Logan will never get to experience riding on the back hoe with Daddy!

However,  I bet we'll be able to find a dirt hill or two for him to climb on. 

My brother actually took these shots from the last time he was down here with his family.  The boys LOVE their little cousin Kali!!!  It's so very much fun having them close!

Cory the nurterer!